JLR Eyes US-Specific Defender Models In Partnership With Stellantis

JLR, formerly Jaguar Land Rover, has detailed some of its upcoming model plans, including developing new Defender models for North America in collaboration with Stellantis. The company also reaffirmed the debut of the new Range Rover EV and Range Rover Sport EVs for later in the year, as well as the debut of the new Jaguar Type 01 electric sedan.

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Stellantis Partnership To Explore New Defender Models For US Market

Having signed a non-binding MoU with Stellantis earlier in the month, JLR provided the first signals of what could come out of the partnership. The company has said that the collaboration will focus on the development of new SUVs under the Defender brand designed specifically for the North American markets.

Also read: JLR, Stellantis To Explore Co-Development Of New Cars, SUVs In US

“To truly manifest the power of our brands, we will increase our focus on North America, our biggest market. The rising demand for luxury products, coupled with the strong preference we see for our brands, signals significant growth potential. Apart from accelerating our existing offerings, we are also exploring new high-potential segments for our Defender brand, which will allow us to offer tailored luxury products and experiences for even more of our US clients,” said P.B. Balaji, Chief Executive Officer, JLR.

The collaboration with Stellantis is likely to also include the manufacturing of the new Defender SUVs in North America at Stellantis facilities. The company has identified the US market as a key growth driver in the coming years.

Also read: Defender Leads JLR Volumes In India As Overall Sales Decline In FY26

Electrified Modular Architecture Underpinned Range Rover, Defender To Get Hybrid Electric Powertrains

Moving to future models, JLR reaffirmed the debuts of the Jaguar Type 01 EV, Range Rover EV & Range Rover Sport EV for later this year. The company also revealed that it would share new details for its first Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) underpinned SUV – under the Range Rover brand – in the coming months. The company also confirmed that the new SUV would not just be electric but also debut a new hybrid electric powertrain, adding a fourth powertrain to its line-up of mild-hybrid, EV and PHEV.

Also Read: Base Range Rover Sport SV Launched In India At Rs 2.05 Crore

The second SUV on the EMA platform, confirmed to be on the Defender line, would also arrive with both all-electric and hybrid electric powertrain options down the line. The use of the EMA platform would mean that the new SUV would be the first under the Defender brand to sit on a platform unrelated to the current Defender 90, 110 and 130.

Discovery Range To Also Get Upgrades

Also read: Jaguar’s Four-Door Electric GT Named Type 01; Unveil In 2026

JLR also hinted at future upgrades to the Discovery range going forward, though it has yet to share any concrete details. The company said that the Discovery would be ‘brought into the future with propulsion flexibility and innovations in product design’, suggesting that the company could expand and diversify the range with PHEV, EV and hybrid options – likely with the arrival of all-new Discovery models. The current Discovery has been around since 2017, while the last major upgrade for the Discovery Sport was in 2020.